Spark-plug.



R. E. ESTES & J. P. INMAN.

SPARK PLUG.

APPLICATION FILED D'E0.22, 1909.

Patented July 26, 1910.

ecasso.

ROBERT E. ESTES AND JOHN P. INMAN, F MIDLAND, TEXAS.

SPARK-PLUG.

Specification of Letters latent.

Application filed December 22, 1909. Serial No. 534,537.

Patented July 26, 1910.

,j To (in whom it may concern: 1 Be it known that we, ROBERT E. Es'rns Rand J onN' P. INMAN, citizens of the United to provide means whereby the electrodes of the spark plug may be readily cleaned and knowledge of the details of constructio'n,-

States, residing atMidland, in the county of Midland and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spark-Plugs, of which the followingis a specification. I

' Our invention relates to improvements in spark plugs such as are used in explosive engines, and the objects of the invention are whereby they may be adjusted into greater or less contiguity with each other.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof, and to acquire a reference is to be had to the following def scription and accompanying drawing, in

[ which Figure 1 is a longitudinal diametrical section through one form of our improved spark perspective view of the inner en Corresponding'and' like parts are referred to .in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawing by the same reference characters.

Twoj forms of our invention are shown.

- one of which is illustrated in Fig. 1, and the or shell to ,which is attached the electrode 3,

other in Fig. 2.

" Referring to Fig. 1, designates a socket preferably formed of two wires crossed at right angles to each other. This socket or shell we shall hereafter term the plug base.

This plug base is provided with the reduced screw-threaded ortion 2 whereby it may be attached'to t e casing of an engine. 4

- designatesa core of porcelain or other insulating 7 material of usual construction which is provided with the metallic bushing .5, the porcelain .core being formed with a 5 shoulder figabove and below the bushing so that vthe bushing is "held in rigid relation with the 1porcelain core. the por'ce ain core is spaced-from the inside face of'the plug base 2, and the porcelain core is""provided with a .cent'ral internal passage 7 which is enlargedat its lower portion. Carried within the internal passage is the metallic'sleeve 8 which is shoul dered at itsl'ower end to -fit the enlargi'zd The lower end of portion of the bore 7. This sleeve 8 is screw-threaded at its :upper and lower ends for engagement with screw threads upon a central electrode pin 9. This pin 9 extends longitudinally through the core 4 and projects slightly below the same into proper contiguity with the electrode 3. The upperend of this pin is bent at right angles,as at 10, and is provided with the knob 11 of nonconducting material whereby the pin may be rotated. It will be obvious that when the pin isrotated in one direction or the other, it will be moved either u or down within the core so that it may he brought either into frictional engagement with the contact desired. Enga 'ng with the up er end of the sleeve 8 is t e nut 12 which bears upon the upper end of the porcelain core or in sulator 4. Packing is interposed between this nut and the upperend of the core. Surrounding the' upper end of the pin 9 is the usual binding'nut 13 whereby the spark plug may be connected to the batteries or magneto. A look nut 12 is provided which engages the screw rod 9, so as to hold the screw rod in its set osition.

It will be seen 1: at the bushing 5 has screw-threaded engagement with the plug base2 so that the bushing 5, and with it the col-e4, 'may 'be adjusted inwardly or outwardly within the plug base. In order to hold the bushing and core in their adjusted positions, we provide the lock nut 14 which ,surrounds and engages with the screwthreaded exterior of the bushing 5 and bears upon the up er end of the plug base. It will be seen t at this construction provides,

' 3 on the electrode 3, or out of contact therewith and separated therefrom to any extent as before stated, for the adjustment of the bushing, the core and the electrode pin into greater or less contiguity with the electrode 3, and that when once adjusted, the bushing may be-locked in position by means of the lock nut 1 1 and be held rigidly in this adin justed position. In addition, by rotating the electrode pin, the pin itself may be brought into greater or less conti ity with the contact3 so to have either frictional engagement kept bright, or else whereby the electrode d may be properly adjusted 1n relation to the electrode 3 to secure the proper spark for diiferent circumstances of operat on.

In Fig. 2, we show another and simpler therewith whereby soot upon the electrodes may be rubbed away and the contact pointsformed so as to have rigid engagement with.

the core 4, and is not se arately adjustable to the core. This pin is shouldered, as at 16, at its lower end so as to hold it in its rigid engagement, and the pin extends out through the enlarged passage, through the lower end of the core, and projects slightly beyond the core in more or less contiguity with the contact 3 on the electrode 3. The

upper end of the pin 15 is screw-threaded,

. as at 17, for engagement with the binding nut 18 whereby the 'wire from the battery or magneto may be attached to the plu". In this form of the device, as before state there is no se arate adjustment of the electrode pin 15, ut by releasing the lock nut 14, the bushing 5 may be rotated to move the core'4 and the contact pin toward or from the electrode 3. Thus, the electrode pin may be brought into greater or less conti ity with the contact point 3t, or the end o the electrode pin may be brought so as to have a rotating contact with the contact 3 so that the same may be cleaned of soot and kept in a bright condition.

' It Wlll be seen that our device provides for an easy and accurate adjustment of the two contact points toward or from each other, and further, provides for a locking of these points in their adjusted position, and that it also provides for cleaning these points without the necessity of entirely withdrawing the plug from its engagement with the engine. The invention is simple,

can be cheaply made, and is entirely ef-.

fective in practice.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. A spark plug includin a plug base, an insulatin core, an electro e pin extending entirely t rough the core and projecting beyond its inner end, separate and independent means for adjusting the core with relation to the plu base and for adjusting the electrode pin ongitudinally through the core, and means for holding the core and pin locked in their adjusted positions.

'2. A spark plu comprising an outer plug base screw-threa ed on its interior, a screwthreaded bushing, a lock nut in the outer end of the plug base and having engagement therewith, an insulating core sup-' ported within said bushing, an electrode pin extending entirely through the core and projecting beyond its inner end, and means for connecting the in to a conducting wire. 3. In a spark pug, an outer plug base and means on said=electrode screw-threaded on its interior, a bushing screw-threaded on its exterior and enga ng with the plug base, a lock nut surroun ing the bushing,-a core of nonconductin mate rial rigidly supported in the bushmg, an electrode pin extending through the core,

ing a conducting wire.

at. A spark plug comprising a plug base, screw-threaded on its interior and having an electrode carried upon its inner end, a bushing having screw-threaded engagement with said base, a core of insulating material rigidl mounted with the bushing and having a passage extending longitudinally throu h its center, a rotatable electrode pin 1n sa1 jecting elow said core, the upper end of the pin being formed with screw, threads, a binding nut engagin said screw threads, and a loo-king but he ding the pin in any desired adjusted position.

5. A spark plug comprising a plug base having a screw-threaded neck, an electrode attached to said neck and projecting beneath the base and having a contact point,an ext'eriorly screw-threaded bushin engaging with the outer end of the base, a 00k nut on said bushing, a core of insulating material supported within the bushing and havin a longitudinal passage extending throng its center, the passage at its inner end being enlarged, a screw-threaded electrode pin passing through the core and having a contact point at its inner end, the outer end of the pin being screw-threaded, and a binding nut on said pin, whereby a conducting wire may be connected thereto.-

6. A spark plug com rising a plug base havlngca screw threaded neck, an electrode attached to said neck and projecting beneath the base and having a contact point, an exteriorly threaded bushing enga "ng with the outer end of the base, a core 0 insulatin material supported within the bushp)assage, the lower end of the pin p'ropin for engagv ing an having a longitudinal passa e extending through its center, an electr e pin passing through the passage of the core and having a contact point at its inner end, said pin being rotatable to provide means whereby the extremity of the pin may have frictional engagement with the opposed contact point to clean said points, the outer end of the pin being screw threaded, and a binding nut on said pin whereby a conductlng wire ma be connected thereto.-

' 7. A spar lug comprising a plug base, screw-threaded on its exterior, a bushing having screw-threaded engagement with the plug base an electrode carried u on the inher end oi the plug "base, a core 0 insulating materialcarried by and 10h 'tudinally movable with the bushing, sai? core having a assage extending longitudinally through lts center, the passage at its inner end being enlarged, an electrode pin rotatably mounted in said passage, the lower end of the pin projecting below the core, the upper end of the pin being formed with screw threads, and a binding nut engaging said screw threads. Y

8. A spark plug comprising a plug base having screw threads on its interior, a bushing having screw-threaded engagement with the plug base, an electrode carried upon the inner end of-the plug base, a core of insulating material extending through the bushing, said core being provided with opposed shoulders engaging opposite ends of the bushing and said core having a passage extending longitudinally through its center, a threaded sleeve mounted within the core, a threaded electrode pin passing through the sleeve and engaging therewith, a lock nut on the pin, a blndin nut thereon, and a handle on the pin, whereby it may be rotated.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT E. ESTES. JOHN P. INMAN.

Witnesses MATTIE GROUND, Gnssm GREGG. 

